Temporary File Folder Setup

TL;DR

This guide shows you how to quickly create a safe folder on your computer for temporarily storing files before encrypting them. It’s simple, doesn’t need special software, and helps keep things secure.

Creating Your Temporary Folder

1. Choose a Location: Decide where you want to store the temporary folder. A good place is within your Documents folder or on your Desktop for easy access.
2. Create the Folder: Right-click in the chosen location, select ‘New’, and then ‘Folder’. Name it something clear like “TempFiles” or “Unencrypted”. Avoid spaces in the name if possible (e.g., use TempFiles instead of Temporary Files).

Securing the Folder

While this folder isn’t encrypted itself, we can take steps to reduce risk.

1. Permissions (Windows): Right-click on the newly created folder and select ‘Properties’. Go to the ‘Security’ tab.
• Click ‘Edit’.
• Select your user account from the list.
• Ensure you have ‘Full control’ permissions checked.
• Remove any other users or groups that don’t need access. Be careful when removing accounts; only remove those you are sure shouldn’t see these files.
• Click ‘Apply’, then ‘OK’.
2. Permissions (macOS): Right-click on the folder and select ‘Get Info’.
• Scroll down to the ‘Sharing & Permissions’ section.
• Ensure your user account has ‘Read & Write’ access.
• Change permissions for other users as needed, removing those who shouldn’t have access. Click the padlock icon at the bottom right and enter your password if prompted.
3. Hidden Folder (Optional): To make it less obvious, you can hide the folder.
   • Windows: In ‘Properties’ > ‘General’, check the ‘Hidden’ box.
   • macOS: Press Command + Shift + . (period) to toggle hidden files and folders in Finder. You may need to use Terminal if this doesn’t work:

     chflags hidden /path/to/your/TempFiles

Using the Folder

1. Copy Files: Copy any unencrypted files you need to work with into this temporary folder. Do not store sensitive files here for long periods.
2. Encrypt Immediately: Once the files are in the folder, encrypt them using your preferred encryption software (e.g., VeraCrypt, GPG).
3. Delete After Encryption: Crucially, delete the original unencrypted files from the temporary folder immediately after successful encryption. You can empty the Recycle Bin/Trash afterwards for extra safety.

Important Reminders

• This folder is not a substitute for proper encryption. It’s simply a staging area to reduce the risk of unencrypted files lingering on your system.
• Always double-check that your encryption software is working correctly before deleting the original files.
• Regularly review the contents of this folder to ensure no sensitive data remains unnecessarily.